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Rear Admiral Georgios Floros HN

Rear Admiral Georgios Floros H.N. was born in Athens, Greece in 1967. He is a 1988 graduate of the Hellenic Naval Academy. During his early career, he was appointed on board various types of warships, mainly frigates.

An Anti-Submarine Warfare officer, he commanded the Patrol Gunboat HS ORMI (ex-US Asheville class) from 2001-2002, completing national deployments and operational patrols in the Aegean Sea.

From 2009-2010, he commanded the Frigate HS SALAMIS (MEKO class). His ship participated with success, in the following major international Maritime Operations:

– Active Endeavour (NATO Operation against terrorism, in the Mediterranean Sea) from October to November 2009.

– ATALANTA (EU Antipiracy Operation in the Horn of Africa) from December 2009 to April 2010. Among other missions, HS SALAMIS was actively engaged in the safe release of the Greek flagged Super-Tanker “MARAN CENTAURUS” (captured by pirates).

His operational/tactical experience was later amplified during the years 2016 – 2022, with the appointment as the Chief of Staff at the Hellenic Frigates Command, Commander of the 1st Frigates Squadron (COMHELFRIGRON ONE), Director of “A” Branch in Hellenic Navy General Staff (DCOS OPS), Head of Naval Operations, Plans & Policy, Naval Intelligence and Communications, Director of the Joint Operations Center in Hellenic National Defence General Staff (DJOC/HNDGS), Commander of Hellenic Frigates Command (COMHELFRIG) and until recently Chief Of Staff of the Hellenic Navy General Staff (COS/HNGS)

Ashore, he has been the Commandant of the Navy Tactical Training School. He has served as an operational / defense planner and Intel analyst and he has been the Director of Naval Intelligence & Security (A2) in the Hellenic Navy General Staff.  He has also served as the aide-de-camp to the Minister of Defence.

Abroad, he completed a three-year tour from 2010-2013 as a staff officer, at the (former) NATO Maritime HQ in Naples (Italy) in the Exercises & Training division (N7). Among other duties, he was also a member of the Maritime Assessment Working Group, during the Operation Unified Protector in Libya (OUP).

Floros has completed the Principal Warfare Officer (PWO) course in HMS DRYAD, U.K (1993). He has earned a Master’s Degree in Computer Science, from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, USA (1999). He is a graduate of the Supreme Joint Staff War College in Thessaloniki, Greece (2004). He has also attended the 19-4 CFMCC Flag Officers Course (2019).

Currently, he is the Deputy Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff (DCOM/HNGS).

He has been awarded with the medals, decorations, and commendations stipulated for an officer of his rank and seniority. In addition, he has been awarded with medals due to participation in various operations (SHARP GUARD, EUNAVFOR ATALANTA, UNIFIED PROTECTOR LIBYA).

Rear Admiral Floros is married and he is the father of two sons.

Ambassador (h.c.) Konstantinos Bikas

Graduated in law with honors, University of Athens.

Graduate Studies in Private Shipping Law and International Law, University of Hamburg, Germany

Mr. Bikas has served in various posts of responsibility:

  • Spokesperson of the Greek Foreign Ministry, 1993-1998
  • Head of The Greek Embassy, Baghdad, 1998-2002
  • Director of the Private Office of the President of the Hellenic Republic Dr. Karolos Papoulias, 2005-2009
  • Head of the Greek National Intelligence Service, 2009-2012
  • Ambassador of Greece to the United Kingdom 2012-2016 Ambassador of Greece to the State of  Israel 2016-2018.
  • Since 2019 he has been the International Business Director at Metlen Energy and Metals

Mr. Konstantinos Lambropoulos

Konstantinos Lampropoulos is a Non-resident fellow in Strategy and International Security at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, He is currently the co-Chair of the Athens Hub of the Centre.

He has been a regular speaker at the Delphi Economic Forum for 4 consecutive years, and was the leading spokesman at the Annual Defenseworld 2017 Conference held by the Greek Ministry of Defence. He has drafted the parameters and the prerequisites of the Greek National Security model for the 21st Century at the Centre for Security Studies, the research branch of the Greek Ministry of Citizen’s Protection.

He has been an Associated Fellow of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, where he was trained at an executive level on emerging security issues as well as on foresight and strategic planning methodologies. He has received an official recommendation by the Geneva Centre for Security Policy in 2014, that was sent to the Greek Government (Prime Minister’s office) to assist in emerging security issues and the strategic planning process.

He was awarded for excellent performance, a Fellowship as part of the Global Fellowship Initiative by the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. His research refers to hybrid warfare in the 21st Century and NATO potential responses.

He has served at the Hellenic Centre for European Studies, the former research branch of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an International Affairs expert with  emphasis on Security Studies, while coordinating the international partnership initiatives of the Centre as well. Hence, he has played a leading role in the creation of the Research Consortium for Sino-European and Greek-Asian Studies.

He is currently leading the planning process for establishing a research Platform on Grand Strategy with various stakeholders, including the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. The Platform plans to offer insights on Grand strategy theory, strategic leadership, strategic planning methodologies and emerging security issues, bridging theory to practice.

Konstantinos Lampropoulos has been selected, prior joining the NISC Course at Geneva, to participate in executive seminars held at the European University Institute in Florence about the future of European Security and the future security dynamics of East Asia, focusing on the Chinese regional security strategy in particular.

Furthermore, he was selected by NATO’s Public Diplomacy Division as one of the 7 Greek policymakers to attend a workshop at NATO in Brussels, regarding “Smart Defense” in November 2013.

During his time at the Hellenic Centre for European Studies, he contributed to a policy-oriented chapter the Centre’s Policy Volume sent to the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  His chapter was about the prospects of Greece’s bilateral relations with Israel.

Konstantinos Lampropoulos has written extensively on NATO, the US National Security Strategies of the current and previous US Administrations as well as on National Security Reform in Greece and abroad.

Since March 2017, he has been writing policy-oriented articles on international security and foreign policy issues to leading Greek Newspapers such as “Kathimerini, “Ta Nea” and  the e-policy platform of the Greek website Liberal.

Konstantinos Lampropoulos’ interdisciplinary PhD, held at the Ionian University Department of History, refers to the US Grand Strategy in the Mediterranean during the Second World War.

He has obtained his postgraduate degree (MA) in War Studies, at the School of Public Policy, the Department of War Studies, at King’s College London, University of London. He has also studied International History in the department of History at Ionian University and Journalism at the Department of Journalism and Media of the National Kapodistrian University of Athens.

H.E. Mr. Arif Mammadov

Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Hellenic Republic Mr. Arif Mammadov

Education:

  • 1999-2003: Bachelor in International Relations, Baku State University, Azerbaijan
  • 2003-2005: Master in International Relations, Baku State University, Azerbaijan
  • 2008-2010: Master in International Relations and European Studies Prague Metropolitan University, the Czech Republic
  • 2014-2017: Master in Business Administration, Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, Canada

Work experience:

  • 2004-2007: Attaché, Department of Human Rights, Democracy and Humanitarian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan
  • 2007-2012: Attaché /Third Secretary/ Second Secretary, Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Czech Republic
  • 2012-2016: Second Secretary/ First Secretary, Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Canada
  • 2017-2018: Head of Humanitarian Affairs Section, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan
  • 2018-2020: First Secretary and Counselor, Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan To Switzerland
  • 2020-2021: Senior Counselor / Head of Section, Administration of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
  • 2021-2023: Director of the Transport Policy Department & Chairman of the Governing Board of the State Maritime & Port Agency, Ministry of Digital Development & Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan
  • Since December 2023: Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Hellenic Republic

Foreign languages: Russian, English

Marital status: Married with one child

 

Mr. Nikos Papathanasis

Nikos Papathanasis presently holds the office of the Alternate Minister at the Ministry of Economy and Finance and he was also elected, at the 2023 elections, as a member of the Parliament in the district of Athens North.

From August 2020 until May 2023, he held the office of Alternate Minister at the Ministry of Development and Investment with the responsibility of the portfolio of private and strategic investments, PPP’s and the Just Transition Fund. Also, from July 2019 until August 2020 he held the office of the Deputy Minister at the same ministry with the responsibility of the portfolio of Industry, Commerce and Consumer’s Protection.

During his thirty-five-year career, he served as a C-level executive for large corporations with a successful track record in developing business plans, reorganizing and streamlining operations that led to significant positive economic outcomes.

He received his B.A.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering and his M.A.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Toronto, followed by a Masters in Management Science at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.

He commenced his career at the DeHavilland Aircraft Company (Bombardier Aerospace) in Toronto while later he served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) and executive Vice President of Olympic Aviation, a regional airline company. During his professional years, he worked mainly in the private sector while he reached high executive and C level managerial positions in companies in Greece and abroad.

He managed companies in the fields of construction, real estate development to public transportation as he served as CEO in the Athens Line 1 metro rail system and subsequently Chairman and CEO in the Athens Metro and Light railsystem for a total of eight years. From 2008 to 2010 he served as a President-elect of the Greek branch of the European Centre of Employers and Enterprises providing Public Services (CEEP) which is a General Cross Industry social partner recognized by the EU Commission. From 2017 holds the Chair of the President of the Institute of Democracy “Konstantinos Karamanlis”, a scientific non-profit organization. He served from 2016 until the national elections of 2019 as Director General of the presently governing political Party of “Nea Democratia”.

Ms. Xiaoxi ΧΙΑ

Ms. Xia Xiaoxi, from China’s Hebei Province by origin, was born in Tianjin in April 1972. She graduated from China Foreign Affairs University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts.

She started her career as a diplomat in 1995 and worked in Treaty and Law Department, Policy Planning Department,   Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Department, African Affairs Department and European Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China and Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in New Zealand, Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco, Liaison Office of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of The Gambia and Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of The Gambia.

Since 2020, she has been working as a Counsellor in the Secretariat of China-CEEC Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PRC.

Dr. Ilias Lekkos

Dr. Ilias Lekkos is the Group Chief Economist and Head of Investment Strategy with Piraeus Bank, one of the largest banks in Greece. He is also Chairman of the Advisory Committee to the Hellenic Statistical System, a member of the Board of Directors of European Reliance Asset Management and of the Foundation of Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE).  Finally he is a member of the External Advisory Committee of MSc in Quantitative Management at Actuarial and Financial Risk. He is also a member of the Council of Economic Advisors of the Hellenic Bank Association. As Chief Economist with Piraeus Bank, he leads the division which reports on developments in the Greek economy and the Greek banking system. He also monitors macroeconomic developments at the G7 economies and is responsible for devising the investment strategy and asset allocation policy of Piraeus Bank Group. Before joining Piraeus Bank he was a Senior Economist at Eurobank-EFG and prior to that he has worked at the Bank of England, HBOS-Treasury Services and Standard and Poor’s. Dr. Lekkos holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Athens University of Economics and Business, an MSc in Economics and Finance from Warwick University and a PhD in Finance from Lancaster University. His research has been published in a number of academic journals.

Dr. Young Tae Kim

Dr. Young Tae Kim is the Secretary-General of the International Transport Forum (ITF) at the OECD. Elected by transport ministers of the ITF member countries in 2017, he was confirmed for a second five- year mandate in 2022.

Under the leadership of Secretary-General Kim, the ITF has grown from 59 to 66 member countries and into a truly global organisation with a presence on five continents. He has strengthened the ITF’s role as a convener of transport policy leaders and global platform for dialogue for better transport, inter alia by establishing Regional High-level Dialogues on Transport for Asia, Latin America and in Europe, that complement the ITF Summit, the world’s premier transport policy event and largest gathering of transport ministers.

Before becoming ITF Secretary-General, Dr Kim distinguished himself in the civil service of his native Korea, serving as Director-General in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT). As Deputy Director-General from 2015, he was responsible for coordinating various transport policies including autonomous vehicles, greenhouse gas reduction, urban transport, Intelligent Transport Systems and road safety, among others.

Dr Kim also held several Deputy Director and Director positions with responsibility for housing welfare, integrated city development and overseas infrastructure construction. He was seconded to the Prime Minister’s Commission on Administrative Reform in 1996 and the Presidential Committee on Social Inclusion in 2005-07. From 2010 to 2014, Dr Kim worked at the Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C., as a Counsellor for Construction, Transport and Maritime Affairs.

Dr Kim earned a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Seoul National University, Korea, and in Urban Studies from Paris University de Vincennes-Saint-Denis, France. He also received his Doctoral degree in Political Sociology and Public Policy from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (Sciences-Po) in Paris, France.

Dr Kim speaks fluent English, French, and some Spanish, in addition to his native Korean.

Mr. ΥU Zenggang

Mr. Yu Zenggang is the Executive Chairman of Piraeus Port Authority S.A. He started his career in August 1984, and served as the Chief Representative of the Japan Representative Office of Shanghai Shipping Bureau, Director and General Manager of Shanghai Haixing Shipping (Japan) Co. Ltd., Deputy General Manager, General Manager of the Development Division of China Shipping (Group) Company, Executive Vice President of China Shipping (North America) Holding Co., Ltd., President of China Shipping (Europe) Holding GmbH, General Manager of the President Office of China Shipping (Group) Company, Director of BOD Office and General Office, Executive Vice President and BOD Secretary of China Shipping (Group) Company, Executive Vice President and Member of China COSCO SHIPPING Corporation Limited. He has over 30 years’ working experience in shipping industry, and has abundant expertise in corporate management, corporate governance, overseas industry development, international operation, and listed company management. He has taken his current position since June, 2019. Mr. Yu Zenggang graduated from Wuhan University of Technology with a Bachelor’s Degree of engineering science in 1984 and obtained the Master’s Degree in 2012 from CEIBS (China Europe International Business School).

Ambassador Xiao Junzheng

Male, born in March 1970, Ji’an, Jiangxi Province, and holds a PhD degree in history

1997-1998     Assistant Research Fellow, China Institute of International Studies

1998-2002     Third Secretary, Second Secretary, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Iran

2002-2003     Assistant Research Fellow, China Institute of International Studies

2003-2008     Second   Secretary,    Deputy    Division    Chief,    Division    Chief,   the Department of West Asian and North African Affairs, MFA

2008-2012     Counselor, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Turkey

2012-2019     Counselor, Deputy Director General, the Department of West Asian and North African Affairs, MFA

2019-2021     Minister Counselor, Minister, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Arab Republic of Egypt

2021-             Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Hellenic Republic

Married